Google is extending its tentacles into everything, including the world of web browsers. Google is debuting Chrome, its challenger to Internet Explorer and Firefox.

The stated goal of the browser (presented by google in web comic form) is to incorporate new web uses like sharing videos, chatting, and playing web-based games. They also promise greater stability and more speed, but perhaps the biggest innovation is Chrome's multi-thread approach to browsing. Basically, any Javascript application will run separately from the rest of the pages you're browsing, so if something crashes in one tab, the entire browser will keep working. Cool, and much needed.

Here's how Google describes the browser on their blog:

On the surface, we designed a browser window that is streamlined and simple. To most people, it isn't the browser that matters. It's only a tool to run the important stuff -- the pages, sites and applications that make up the web. Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.

Google says they've used their massive database of pages to pre-test the thing for stability and compatibility with existing web pages. It's open-source too, so users will tweak it as it grows.

Apparently, the browser was available for download briefly today, but the page was taken down by google. No word yet on when it will be available again.